Charles e



G. E. DODD. CLOTHES DRIER.

No. 474,950. q Patented May 17-, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT CHARLES E. DODD, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE STIGER, OF SAME PLACE.

CLOTHES-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,950, dated May 17, 1892.

7 Application filed May 19, 1891. Serial No. 393,308. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. DODD, of Williamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display- Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in racks, and more particularly to such as are employed for displaying goods, drying clothes, and the like; and it consists in aframe of the lazy-tongs variety, in combination with the peculiar lockin g mechanism which constitutes the essential feature of my invention.

It further consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims. Y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved rack.

Fig. 2 is aview showing the device closed,and Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the locking guide-plates employed.

Arepresents the frame, comprising two pairs of lazy-tongs, which constitute the ends, and rods 1 1, to the opposite ends of which the lower ends 2 2, the joints 3 3, and the centers 4 4 of the lazy-tongs are pivotally connected. Two of the center rods 1 1 protrude a trifle beyond the-lazy-tongs, as shown, to form bearings 5, and it is in connection with these bearings that the locking guide-plates 6 6 are employed. These plates are formed substantially as shown. They are provided with slots 7 7. The slots are for convenience slightly curved at point 8 to throw them to one side when the rack or drier is collapsed. At the free end of the plate this slot is bent over to form a socket 9 for the end of one of the rods 1 to retain the parts in position when expanded. The permanent pivot 10 is made to one side of the longitudinal center of the plate, and hence the preponderance of Weight being on the opposite side of the longitudinal center of the plate the socket 9 falls into place beneath the bearing 5 when the rack is extended and held in a vertical position. In this manner it will be seen that there is a prepots and the like.

ponderance of Weight upon one edge of the locking guide-plates, which causes them to automatically drop into place as the rack is expanded, so it may be added in this connection that it is only necessary to expand or extend the frame as far as the plates 6 6 will admit, and by virtue of this expansion of parts and the particular construction of the plates they are thrown into position so that the bearing-sockets drop into place beneath the bearings 5, with which the plate has sliding connection. Thus the parts are locked until they are manually unlocked when it is desired to collapse or close the frame for storing it in a small space. Attention is called to the fact that the locking-plates form braces for the entire frame, sustaining the weight and retaining the parts in position.

The rack can be supported in different positions, as desired, and can be used for various pu rposes. Usually it rests upon the base, and rollers 13 13 are provided for easily moving the rack about on the fioor. These rollers or casters, if preferred, are attached in any convenient position at the base of the frame. These rollers are usually mounted on the ends of one of the rods 1 1, either inside or outside of the lazy-ton gs. The rack could also be suspended upon the wall. When thus supported, the rollers move upon the wall as the frame is expanded or contracted, the opposite end of'the base being the point of support when the rack is thus suspended; also, the device could be supported on an incline and shelves could be placed upon it for flower- The rack is especially applicable to this use, as there are long seasons in the year when a flower-rack is absolutely useless and in the way. When constructed on the lazy-tongs order, the rack can be closed and stored away, occupying little or practically no space.

The racks can be cheaply made and quickly set up for the trade.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention,whatI IO downwardly-extending bearing-recess adapt- Y ed to receive a bearing of the frame as the frame is extended, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. noon.

Witnesses: GEO. C. STIGER, GEO. F. DOWNING. 

